I’m a Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson fanboy. In this video, he pokes fun of a common view of scientists. A view that when scientists think they’ve figure something out, they stop investigating and just sit around, proud of themselves. Neil says, “[scientists] never leave the drawing board”. They keep investigating and always embrace new evidence, especially when it contradicts current theories.

In other words, a scientist must trade closure for a continued search for truth. “Done” is not the desired state.

As a tester, I have often been exhausted, eager to make the claim. “it works…my job here is done”. And even when faced with contradicting evidence, I have found myself brushing it away, or hoping it is merely a user problem.

Skilled testers will relate. Test work can chew us up and spit us out if we don’t have the right perspective. Don’t burden yourself by approaching test work as something you are responsible for ending.

that's bizarre. I vaguely remember writing the comment, and my recollection of *what* I was responding to is even more vague. I just looked through your most recent half-dozen or so posts, and none fit those fuzzy memories, so... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I entirely agree with this. As a tester, it's hard to be 100% "done" with something. There's always the possibility of conducting another test or trying something further. Since exhaustive testing is usually never feasible, I think it's important we attain our own confidence levels about what we're testing.

Who am I?

My typical day: get up, maybe hit the gym, drop my kids off at daycare, listen to a podcast or public radio, do not drink coffee (I kicked it), test software or help others test it, break for lunch and a Euro-board game, try to improve the way we test, walk the dog and kids, enjoy a meal with Melissa, an IPA, and a movie/TV show, look forward to a weekend of hanging out with my daughter Josie, son Haakon, and perhaps a woodworking or woodturning project.